President Obama Appoints First Woman To Head The Secret Service

According to the White House, the Commander-in-Chief appointed Julia A. Pierson, a veteran U.S. Secret Service agent, as the first female director of the agency in charge of protecting the president and his family.

“Over her 30 years of experience with the Secret Service, Julia has consistently exemplified the spirit and dedication the men and women of the service demonstrate every day,” Obama said in a statement. “Julia is eminently qualified to lead the agency that not only safeguards Americans at major events and secures our financial system, but also protects our leaders and our first families, including my own.”

The President’s decision comes after former Secret Service director, Mark Sullivan, announced his retirement last month. During Sullivan’s tenure, the agency became the center of a prostitution scandal in Cartagena, Colombia last year.

With 30 years of experience under her belt, Obama seems very confident in Pierson’s ability to lead the service. “Julia has had an exemplary career, and I know these experiences will guide her as she takes on this new challenge to lead the impressive men and women of this important agency,” he said.